*Chhattisgarh becomes the leading state in the country to buy paddy from maximum number of farmers*

*As many as 23 lakh 42 thousand farmers have sold paddy*

*Chhattisgarh stands at second rank in terms of maximum procurement of paddy in the country*

*Payment of Rs 22 thousand 37 crore 47 lakh in lieu of buying paddy from farmers*

*90 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been lifted by the millers*.

TNINS 

Raipur, Feb 2 , 2023/ Chhattisgarh has set a new record by purchasing more than 107 lakh 51 thousand 858 metric tonnes of paddy till January 31, the last date for paddy purchase in the Kharif marketing year 2022-23. The figure of 98 lakh metric tonnes of paddy which was procured in the state last year has been surpassed in the current year.  It is noteworthy that Chhattisgarh is the second state in the country after Punjab, where maximum quantity of paddy has been procured. If seen in terms of the number of farmers selling paddy at the support price, Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country. In the state, 23 lakh 41 thousand 935 farmers have sold their paddy on the support price. In terms of the number of farmers selling paddy at the support price, this figure is so high that other states of the country are not even close to this mark.

It is noteworthy that in the last four years, the system of paddy procurement in the state of Chhattisgarh has been strengthened and improved so much that farmers do not face any kind of problem in selling paddy and getting payment for it. This is the reason that in the last four years there has been a record increase in the number of farmers selling paddy at the support price and the quantity of paddy procured, due to which Chhattisgarh has reached the second position as a contributory state of paddy in the Central Pool.

Due to the farmer-friendly policies of the Chhattisgarh government, both agriculture and farmers have prospered in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel. With the year-on-year record increase in paddy procurement figures in the state and the input subsidy of Rs 9,000 per acre being given to productive farmers under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, the state's agro-based economy is continuously getting stronger. This can only be gauged from the fact that this year 249 new rice mills have been set up in the state, due to which the number of registered millers has increased from 2035 to 2284 for custom milling of paddy procured on support price in the state. . In the last four years, the prosperity in the field of agriculture and the prosperity of the farmers can evidently be seen by the increased number of villagers and farmers buying tractors in the state. Farmers have bought more than 80 thousand tractors in the state in four years.

With the increase in the number of paddy purchase centers in the state,  along with manual token, online tokens have also been issued for purchase of paddy from registered farmers,  through 'Token Tuhanr Hath' app. Better and convenient arrangements have been made for the process of paddy procurement due to which paddy procurement in the state continued uninterrupted from the opening day of November 01 till the last day of January 31. Considering the 24.98 lakh registered farmers and 32.19 lakh hectare area in the state, 110 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was estimated to be procured this year.

Food Secretary Shri T.K. Verma said that according to the intention of the Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel, like last year in the state, along with the purchase of paddy, arrangements were made to lift paddy directly by the millers from the purchase centers for custom milling, due to which till now More than 90 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been lifted. He further informed that due to the system of procurement of paddy as well as lifting of paddy for custom milling, this year only 3 lakh metric tonnes of paddy will have to be taken to the collection centers, while last year about 23 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was required to be taken to the collection centres.  About Rs 150-200 crore will be saved due to this system of paddy lifting. Custom milling has also gained momentum as the government is giving Rs 120 per quintal as incentive to millers for custom milling. Moreover,  249 new millers have also registered this year. It is evident from this that paddy has given impetus to Chhattisgarh's economy and industrialization; new employment opportunities have also been created. Due to the farmer-friendly policy and decisions of the state government, the area under paddy has also increased to more than 32.19 lakh hectares and registered farmers include 2.32 lakh new farmers as well.